Method of finishing buttons and the



Patented Apr. 13, 1937 EPA .1; NT OFFIQE 2,077,302 v I METHOD or FINISHING, BUTTONS AND THE LIKE Ralph L. Atkinson, Dorchester, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, toUnited-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambrid of Massachusetts:

ge, Mass, .a corporation No Drawing. Application December 731933,

Serial No. 701,362

d 6 Claims. My invention aims to provide improvements in the method of dyeing and finishing leathercovered and solid leather articles of manufacture.

My improved methodof finishing is particularly adaptable for articles having a leather or other similar covering which necessarily must be finis'he'din a variety of color shades, as for example leather buttons for garments. It is not limited to the pie-mentioned articles,-because it may be equally useful in connection with finishing Woven leather buttons and other articles covered with leather or leather substitute, particularly those which have a design marking embossed or otherwise formed in the surface of the article or a surface which is susceptible to damage by wetting, such as dipping directly in a liquid.

In order that my improved method may be clearly understood, I shall explain one manner in which it may be carried out in connection with so-called leather buttons for articles of clothing, the buttons being embossed on their top surfaces to give the appearance of a Woven leather button. It has been found impracticable to finish such buttons by immersion into a body of fluid because the embossed design isremoved or materially affected by the swelling and shrinkage of leather that has been soaked in the liquid and thereafter dried. It is necessary, therefore, in order to dye and/or otherwise finish a leather article as previously mentioned and still keep the embossed design intact, that a method of gradually applying a finishing material should be used. The underlying principle made use of in the slow application of dyeing or finishing material is that the leather is never wetted sufficiently to cause undue swelling or shrinkage which destroys the embossed design. t

A quantity of the dye solution, comprising a dyestuff dissolved into any suitable solvent, is poured into and thoroughly intermixed with a batch of sawdust which in turn is placed in a rotatable tumbling barrel. The intermixing may take place in the barrel which is revolved until the sawdust is uniform in color and the quantity of dye solution added from time to time should be regulated so that the sawdust is damp but not wet. Thus the sawdust absorbs and acts as a conveyor for the dye. A quantity of buttons is placed in the barrel, which is then rotated. During this operation, the frictional contact of the sawdust and the buttons causes a portion of the dye to be transferred to the buttons and, as the buttons continually mix with the sawdust, all surfaces of the buttons are colored. The penetration and intensity of the color may be regulated by the time of contact and the relative moisture'of the sawdust. 1

When the correct color has been obtained,the buttons are removed and separated'from-the sawdust and dried in any suitable manner; ;I use a conveyorbelt device which is enclosedso -that a blast of hot air may be blown over the buttons as they are conveyed through the enclosure. When the buttons are dried, I place them in a tilted, rotatable, openended barrel and apply a coatingof finish material by a gradual dripping process whereby the solution is poured a little at a time onto the sides of the barrel and as it runs down is absorbed and rubbed off on the surface of the buttons. In this way the finish is so applied that the buttons do not become soaked, thereby preventing a disturbance of the embossing. This process is also useful as one is able to top off or shade the color efiect produced in the dye barrel by incorporating in the finishing material various dyes, pigments, etc. If a shading or topping of the color is desired, it must be applied to the dyed button before any final or waterproof coat is applied. One or more coats of such materials may be desirable, depending on circumstances. The final finishing material may be shellac, varnish, wax or other suitable hard drying materials or combinations thereof. I have found that a suit able waterproof coating, as well as providing a base to polish which gives the desired amount of luster, may be compounded from ammonia-cut shellac, wax and soap. Between various coats the buttons should be dried. A commercial method of polishing I have devised is to place the but tons in a felt-lined, horizontal tumbling barrel and rotate the barrel until the desired degree of luster is obtained. During this process, the buttons rub against the felt and against each other and all exposed surfaces become polished in a relatively short time.

By using the method I have described, I can finish buttons in quantity lots without disturbing the design and appearance by-swelling or shrinking of the leather. Furthermore, by this method I secure a decidedly desirable color toned effect which brings out a leather-like appearance instead of a one-color effect which would makeit appear like a molded or composition article.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact process or materials described herein because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of finishing leather and like covered articles of manufacture which comprises tumbling the articles in sawdust and the like impregnated with a dye solution to the point where it is damp but not wet, drying said articles, again tumbling the dyed articles and applying a finish-coating thereto, again drying said articles and finally polishing said articles by a tumbling process.

2. The method of finishing a mass of leather covered embossed buttons by a'sequence of operations in a manner to prevent disturbing of the embossing which comprises tumbling the buttons in sawdust impregnated witha dye solution to the point where it is damp but not wet, to dye the buttons, drying the buttons, then again tumbling the buttons and applying a finish coating material thereto, again drying the buttons, and then polishing the buttons.

3. The method of finishing articles having an embossed absorbent material at the surface which comprises tumbling the articles in sawdust and the like impregnated with a dye solution to the point where it is damp but not Wet, so that the finish is slowly applied to the embossed absorbent material.

4. The method of finishing articles having a surface susceptible to damage by immersion in a liquid which comprises tumbling the articles surface, which comprises tumbling the articles in sawdust impregnated with a dye solution to the point where it is damp but not wet to slowly impregnate the absorbent surface with the dye and prevent swelling of the surface.

6. The method of dyeing leather surfaced articles such as buttons and the like having an embossed absorbent surface which comprises tumbling the articles in sawdust impregnated with a dye solution to the point where it is damp but not wet to slowly impregnate the surface of the articles with the dye but not suificiently to cause a swelling of the embossed surface such as to destroy the embossed design.

RALPH L. ATKINSON. 

